Chapter 3 MEMORY Memory Processes Involve Encoding Storage Organizes Alters Retrieval Encoding Getting information into memory There are ways to improve information encoding Retrieval Getting information out of memory Context specific Mood specific Recall is more difficult than recognition Memory Systems 1 Sensory information from environment Sensory Memory 2 Short Term 3 Long Term Sensory Memory Contains Exact Replica of Sensory Information Ionic Memory The icon a visual stimuli Echoic Memory The echo sound Very Brief Retention of Image or Sound Short Term Memory Role of Selective Attention Brief storage of small amounts of information Memories can be encoded as images or sounds Sensitive to interruption Working Memory Short Term Memory How much information can STM hold Miller 7 Bits Plus or minus 2 Bits What is a Bit amount item or piece of information Short Term Memory Aid Chunking Remembering larger groups of information bits It s harder to remember the 5 letters Than the word MONEY Rehearsal How long do ST memories last Not long BUT you can prolong a memory by repeating it Maintenance Rehearsal So how long IS it About 18 seconds Elaborative Rehearsal Giving the material meaning Long Term Memory Permanent storage for knowledge Contains everything you know about the world Nearly limitless The more you know the easier it is to add new memories Memories stored by meaning NOT sound Dual Memory Constructing Memories As new memories are stored old ones are updated changed lost or revised Constructive Processing Filling in gaps in memory Problems with eye witness testimony Organizing Memories Memory Index Not alphabetical Organized by rules images categories symbols similarity meaning Network Model Ideas further apart takes longer chain of associations to connect them Types of Memory Procedural Memory Skill Memory Declarative memory Fact Memory 1 Semantic Memories Names seasons dates Virtually immune to forgetting 2 Episodic Memories Autobiographical record of personal experiences Life events Implicit Versus Explicit Memories Explicit Memories Memories of past experiences that are consciously brought to mind Recall and recognition Implicit Memories Lie outside of conscious awareness Do not know the memory exists Letters on a keyboard Can be revealed with cues Eidetic Imagery Photographic memory Occurs when a person has visual images clear enough to be scanned for at least 30 seconds Most common in childhood 8 in 100 Extraordinary Memory Photographic Memory May not be able to distinguish between important facts and trivia Maybe a learned extension of normal memory Strategies for Remembering Mnemonics memory strategies Rehearsal Chunking Relate meaning Rajan Mahadevan Recites Pi to 30K digits Recites 50 random numbers backwards Tip of the tongue Partial memories are common Tip of the tongue Memory is available but not quite retrievable Feeling of Knowing the ability to know beforehand that you will be abel to recall the information Memory Tasks Recall Recognition identify previously learned information Relearning Recalling Memories What are the names of the seven dwarves Cued Recall Reminder of information we could not otherwise recall Recall vs Recognition Serial Position Effect The order in which something is memorized is important Bread apples soda ham cookies rice lettuce beets mustard cheese oranges ice cream crackers flour Hardest to recall words in the middle Last items still in STM First are remembered because they entered an empty STM and were rehearsed Primacy Vs Recency Primacy Effect Recency Effect first part of a series last part of a series Recognition Previously learned information is correctly identified Multiple choice tests Photographs Pretty accurate Line ups Hard if distracters are similar to the right answer Be careful on exams Forgetting Most memories are lost right after memorization Ebbinghaus Tested his own memory Nonsense syllables Curve of Forgetting Rapid at first then slows down Meaningless items are about 9x harder to remember When Encoding Fails Penny example Encoding Failure The main reason we forget is because information does not get encoded in the first place Writing things down Also affect memories of people Memory Decay Memory Traces brain activity decay over time Lose sensory memories ST memory leaky bucket Disuse Infrequent retrieval BUT some unused memories are never forgotten while some are Cue Dependent Forgetting Missing memory cues Cue dependent learning State dependent learning Emotional dependent learning Interference Retroactive Interference Disruptive effect of new learning on the recall of old information Interference Proactive Interference Disruptive effect of prior learning on the recall of new information Repression Vs Suppression Repression Motivated Forgetting unconscious and passive Suppression Active conscious attempt to put something out of mind Flashbulb Memories Images frozen in memory Personal tragedy Other emotionally significant events Very detailed Not always accurate Confidence in them Amnesia Retrograde Amnesia Inability to remember events prior to the onset of amnesia Anterograde Amnesia Inability to form new memories Which Type of Amnesia Movie examples 1 Bourne Identity Retrograde 2 Momento Anterogade Ways to improve memory Recitation Provides feedback that can let you know your progress Rehearsal Mentally review information Look for connections between things and assign meaning Selection Be selective about what you learn Organization Summaries Whole vs Part learning Whole is better expect with extremely long complicated information Cues links Overlearn Sleep Hunger Review F288RL